Meet the Rabbits...

"Here is Edward Bear, coming downstairs now, bump, bump, bump, on the back of his head, behind Christopher Robin. It is, as far as he knows, the only way of coming downstairs, but sometimes he feels that there really is another way, if only he could stop bumping for a moment and think of it."

 A A Milne (opening lines to Winnie the Pooh)

Emily's Edward Bear is her Rabbit...well, two Rabbits to be precise...Big and Wee Rabbit (we thought quite hard about their names).

From left to right: Big Rabbit and Wee Rabbit

She drags the Rabbits round with her wherever she goes, gripping her supreme beings fingers tightly onto them whenever the going gets tough. When she’s tired, she'll need them to get to sleep. When she’s separated from Mummy, they reassure her. When she’s frightened or upset, they comfort her. When she’s in a strange place, they help her feel at home. When she's wanting to play, they get lobbed across the room. Clever things these Rabbits. And very tolerant.

Happy Rabbits

Sleepy Rabbits

Sulky Rabbits

  

These special comforts are called transitional objects, because they help toddlers make the emotional transition from dependence to independence. And if you read the last post then you'll know we need all the help we can get with this (in)dependence transition. So the Rabbits are a great help...except when they escape. Which does happen from time to time. They've got lost in shops, museums, other people's houses, and last weekend they even made a dash for it from the bike. Funny as this may sound, it's not quite so funny when you have to cycle half way round Glasgow trying to find them again. Still, Emily loves them and that's all that matters. So there they are...Meet the Rabbits.

 Off adventuring with Big Rabbit

Found: One Wee Rabbit, discarded in the street

(In)dependence Day...

The supreme being is growing fast. It seems like every day she is learning a new thing to do or word to say. It's truly wonderful to see. In tandem with this though is a bizarre yearning for both complete independence and dependence at the same time. It's like you can't do anything for her, but you have to do everything for her (particularly if you are Mummy). One minute she's away off exploring, purposefully heading in the complete opposite direction to where you want her to go and is not for turning; the next she's physically attached to Mummy, refusing to let her more than a 10cm distance away. The former means it can take us hours to go anywhere or do anything...come to think of it, the latter pretty much amounts to the same thing too.

Expressing her independence

 Discovering the world through a tube

This yo-yo behaviour can be pretty tiring, particularly for Mummy. It must be tough keeping your cool with a two and a half foot supreme being attached to you whilst you try and take a shower one minute; then the next minute that same supreme being runs for the hills as you try to get her dressed. It's no wonder I sometimes return home from work to find a slightly frazzled wife delighted to be turning our beloved daughter over to me. I'm not always much use though...Daddy might be the best thing today, but by tomorrow it can be a different story as I appear to turn into the devil incarnate. Who'd have thought that something so cute could create a complete maelstrom around her. Still, she loves her time on the bike with me. A saving grace for all of us this summer...

 Preparing to make a bolt for it

 Firmly strapped in so unable to run

Feeding the donkey ice cream

The importance of sleep...

As we emerge from a week where our 19-month old supreme being clearly hasn't had enough sleep, it has reminded me to consider the importance of sleep. Sleep is no less important than food, drink, or safety in the life of a toddler. It's vital to growth and development. And although this may seem blatantly obvious, it's sometimes easily overlooked and our daughter's lack of sleep is certainly not something we did on purpose. As a matter of fact, it can happen for lots of reasons, and that is the problem.

Too much/too little excitement, too much/too little food, bedtime battles, not wanting to miss out, not wanting to give in, missing Mummy (rarely Daddy)...all of these and many more are the reasons why our lovely daughter has not wanted to sleep. I read an article that said she was supposed to be getting 13 hours a day - 11 at night and 2 during the day. Last week we were lucky if she got 9 or 10 in total, some days it was worse. It made for a difficult week.

The results of lack of sleep are not pretty. Emily is in a bad mood alot of the time because she's tired. This means she won't let Mummy more than 6 inches away from her, which in turn makes Mummy in a bad mood. Daddy is public enemy number 1 and can't do anything to please his beloved daughter, this in turn makes Daddy in a bad mood. As everyone is in a bad mood they all get on each others nerves which then makes everyone in even more of a bad mood... Come to our house - it's lots of fun.

So we decide to go to North Berwick to inflict ourselves on the Gurneys and hit the beach...that cheered everyone up (apart from Emily who still didn't sleep).

 Mummy travelling light to the beach

 The sleepless one...as if butter wouldn't melt

Sexy, sultry, surf dudette

My favourite bit of parental advice is "nothing is permanent". And so it was with the lack of sleep. This week we have persevered and been stricter in our routine. It's worked wonders. Our delightful daughter is back. So much so she has been learning to spell (although clearly unimpressed by this adult nonsense)...

Videoclip: Learning to spell

On safari....

 What you looking at? (Part 1)

 What you looking at? (Part 2)

 What you looking at? (Part 3)

 What you looking at? (Part 4)

 What you looking at? (Part 5)

Lions, tigers, elephants, rhinos, ostriches, giraffes, zebra, buffalo, owls, impala, gazelles, lemurs, chimpanzees, sealions, eagles, penguins, meerkats, vultures, goats, llamas, horses, camels, deer, alpacas, falcons, lechwe, otters, pigs, wallabys, buzzards, kudo, eland, hogs, marmosets...today we saw them all. And what did the supreme being like the best? None of the above. She just loved running up and down the wooden walkway, and so spent hours there. Sometimes things just don't go according to plan...

Videoclip: The best thing at the Safari Park

One for all the family...

Emily is fascinated by our family. She has pictures of everyone in a little album and she loves to look at them all everyday. We also have pictures on the kitchen wall and she loves to point her supreme being's finger at all of them and say hello. It's incredible how she's learnt they are more than just passing acquaintances in her life, but instead really trusts and knows them. I guess it's that strength of relationship and care that makes family special.

Anyway, she loves repeating all their names as part of learning to talk. It might not always sound quite right but she loves doing it, and, I for one, will do anything to keep a supreme being happy. I need to work her up to saying all the aunts, uncles and cousins names but that's a much bigger job, so in the meantime this is one for all the family...

Videoclip: Saying hi to all the family...

The jewel of the Highlands...

Week one of our holiday took us to Plockton, a gorgeous National Trust for Scotland conservation village on the mainland looking onto Skye. Sometimes known as the 'Jewel of the Highlands', Plockton is set amongst lochs and mountains and has carefully preserved its heritage and character, making it a 'must' for any visit to the area.

It was great to get out of the city and relax amongst some of the best scenery in the UK. Emily seemed to welcome a return to the Highlands and was immediately in her element listening out for birds, rivers and any other new sounds she encountered.

The supreme being is absolutely enthralled by the great outdoors. Some highlights were boat trips on Lochcarron and to Loch Coruisk on Skye where we had close encounters with seals; watching Emily’s excitement at every new burn she discovered; getting more fresh air with some early starts up nearby munros; foraging on the beach for shells and other sea bounty; discovering the world with a supreme being who delights at every new experience the planet has for her. She even learnt to sing...if that's what you can call it!

Videoclip: Singing Frozen's Let it Go? One viewing and she was hooked...

 I wish I was a punk rocker (with flowers in my hair)

 You can't beat splashing in puddles

 Beach combing

 The second half begins with Bla Bheinn (Blaven)

 Lunch :-)

 Introducing Emily to the Cuillin

 Plockton from the sea

 Plockton from the shore

 Seals (in case you didn't work it out)

 Onwards Mummy...to the Cuillin

Holiday friend...the poor dog Finn that Emily chased round and round and round

 Al fresco dining

 Storytime in the front garden

 The UK's finest view???

Gannets-ville...

The supreme being hits the beach

To follow up on the sun in Banchory we took a quick trip to see the Gurney's in North Berwick. It's really wonderful having relatives in such a special seaside town - particularly one's that don't mind us landing on their doorstep at regular intervals. North Berwick was in a pretty sunny mood and we managed to hit the beach which was a great delight to the supreme being. More important than this was a very exciting boat trip to see the gannets on Bass Rock, which brought out shrieks of delight from Emily. For those of you that have never seen Bass Rock, its a big volcanic plug which is home to upto 150,000 gannets - so many that it looks white from a distance. It is a magnificent spectacle and often advertised as one of the ornithogical wonders of the world.

  

It mght have been sunny but the sea was still somewhat chilly

 

Anyone seen a gannet?

Bass Rock: "Gannets-ville"

Once again Emily loved being away. Her entertaining skills are coming on a treat and she delighted us all with her actorial and musical talents. It seems she really loves to be centre stage and a particularly cute favourite just now is acting out her some of her books. It's great fun to watch and we need to make sure we pack plenty for our holiday next week.

Videoclip: the Entertainer

Videoclip: Half the story